Decision record
Muhammad Ifzal
Allegation / charges
Breaches
Findings — machine-extracted (anthropic-batch:claude-opus-4-8); verify against the decision
Muhammad Ifzal submitted forged certificates purportedly from BPP University College and an application containing untrue information to the SRA in support of his 2015 application for admission to the Roll. He had failed the Property and Principles of Common Law tests and passed the Professional Conduct and Accounts test on a different date than shown on the forged certificate. The Tribunal, proceeding in his absence, found allegations 1.1 and 1.2 proved beyond reasonable doubt, including dishonesty under the Ivey test, and breaches of Principles 2, 6 and 7. It found high culpability, deliberate and calculated conduct, and no mitigating circumstances warranting a lesser sanction. He was struck off the Roll and ordered to pay costs of £3,644.50.
Duties found breached:
Aggravating factors:
- Proven dishonesty
- Deliberate and calculated conduct
- Planned actions - created or arranged forged certificates
- Deliberately misled the regulator, resulting in admission to the Roll
- High culpability
Mitigating factors:
- Previously unblemished career (though attempted to commence career using forged documents)
Duties engaged
- Honesty
- Integrity
- No bribery or improper gifts
- Personal probity and fitness to practise
- Uphold public trust in the profession
- No unlawful discrimination or harassment
- Act in the client's best interests
- Advise objectively, not a mere conduit
- No conflict between current clients
- Cooperate openly with regulators
- No obstruction or victimisation of reporters